Brad Haddin happy to have a hit

October 1 : Brad Haddin has spent plenty of time as a spectator this year so he was simply pleased to get a decent hit in Australia's opening ODI against India on Saturday. Haddin made 69 in Australia's imposing 307 at Bangalore but he could miss Tuesday's match at Kochi as Ricky Ponting recovers well from a hamstring injury.

Haddin was part of Australia's World Cup-winning squad in the Caribbean but did not play a game and was used as a specialist batsman in two matches at the ICC World Twenty20, facing a total of 20 balls. His effort on Saturday was his second half-century in 22 ODIs and justified Australia's decision to include him and Adam Gilchrist in the same side.

"I'm always a wicketkeeper first," Haddin told the Australian . "I've spent a bit of time working on my batting and I've been lucky enough to make my way into the team with the bat, so I wanted to make a statement that I can bat as well.

"I didn't take too much notice of the scoreboard. I usually look at it all the time, but I didn't think too much about it. I didn't want to complicate things. I hadn't had a hit for a long time, so I was just trying to worry about the ball."

Haddin was one of the leading scorers in Australia's domestic one-day competition last year when he made 406 runs at 67.66. However, if Ponting continues his quick recovery it could force Haddin back on the sidelines in the second ODI.

Gilchrist said he was pleased Haddin had showed his potential. "People may think he only gets picked in these squads as a backup keeper but to me he is very much here on his own batting ability," Gilchrist told the Sydney Morning Herald . "He was in the World Cup squad as a spare batsman and it is a bonus he is also the next-in-line wicketkeeper."

       
         

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